â€śThe legend is true, after all â€“ I am impressed by how much Michael has accomplished in so short a time,â€ť commented Dr. Stephen Riady, chairman of OUE. â€śMichael joins us at an exciting time when the company is looking to establish new benchmarks for hospitality standards and expanding the key locations where we operate.

â€śWith his industry expertise, proven leadership, and impressive ability to grow and diversify businesses, I have every confidence Michael will be driving the Meritus Hotels & Resorts brand and our business into unprecedented headways.â€ť

As chief executive oficer of OUEâ€™s Hospitality Division, Michael will be based in Singapore overseeing the expansion of the company and strengthening the brands of the individual properties under the MHR portfolio, particularly that of its flagship, Mandarin Orchard Singapore.

The seasoned hotelier who has a self-professed â€śzero tolerance for non-performance,â€ť has devoted over 30 years to the industry which has seen him take up key roles at both the hotel operating and corporate office levels with renowned hotel brands that include the Hilton, InterContinental Hotels Group, and Millennium & Copthorne.

Michael was previously based in the United Kingdom in his capacity as chief operating officer of Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc, one of the largest owned and managed hotel groups in the world.

In his years in the industry, he has garnered a host of prestigious awards including Outstanding Marketing Innovation Award, Best Hotel Leadership of the Year Award, Most Outstanding Achievement in Implementing Core Values, Most Profitable Hotel Award, and the Asia Pacific People Development Award.

In his spare time, Michael is an avid sportsman. He was celebrated as one of Singaporeâ€™s all-time walking greats, having held the national record for race walking from 1970 to 1976. He also broke the national record for the 20-kilometre trek in 1973. Outside of sports, he is actively involved in various charities in China, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.